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| Gun shots & bomb blasts have led to fall in migratory birds visiting Kashmir | | |
Apart from climate change gun shots, bomb blasts and repeated encounters between militants an d security forces have led to the rapid fall in the aquatic birds visiting the Kashmir valley. In fact noise generated by the massive protest rallies followed by stone pelting on security forces and the retaliatory measures taken by the security personnel by way of opening of fire on hose engaged in stone throwing too has led to the fall of the aquatic birds visiting the wetlands. Climate change coupled with massive siltation and encroachment on wetlands have resulted in sharp decline in the number of migratory aquatic birds visiting Kashmir. Experts say that the climate change; continuous fall of water levels in wetlands, siltation, encroachment and massive constructions was responsible for damaging the glossy on wetlands in Kashmir.
According to a prominent environmentalist, Sheikh Ghulam Rasool earlier 16 lakh migratory birds of 32 species used to visit Hokersar and the number has now fallen to 18 species. Now not more than six lakh migratory birds visit the wetlands in Kashmir. Sheikh, who has been also involved in environment conservation activism, said that climate or global warming has naturally affected the pattern of migratory birds.
But in Kashmir he said "Soil erosion, constructions develop slit which flows into the wetlands which decreases its depth and results in decrease of migratory birds in Kashmir."
In Hokersar, around 60 percent water level has decreased from the amount it used to hold, Sheikh said. When the water level decreases in the wetlands migratory birds fail to be attracted to the famous wetland like Hokersar. Prior to the rise of Pakistan sponsored insurgency a section of people would take their single bore guns and go out for shooting of birds which they would prepare for their meals. Since 1990 bird hunting is a dream now and that too when the number of migratory birds has fallen rapidly and the species have also dropped in variety. And in winter tourists from a few foreign countries would visit the valley simply to watch the migratory birds. They would watch how they fly and how they hatch their eggs. All these pleasures are things of the past because with the rise of terrorism Kashmir has lost may things. It is only bloodshed and derailment of peace |
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